Types of Dental Implants
Dental implants are putting beautiful smiles back on people’s faces all over the world. A dental implant is regarded as a surgical implant that is placed on the skull or the bone of the jaw to support a dental prosthesis. These dental prostheses can include a crown, bridge, denture, and facial prosthesis. Dental implants can also be placed on the skull or bone of the jaw to act as an orthodontic anchor. If you are looking to get a dental implant, it’s essential that you get familiar with all the different types available. To make the best decision on which type of dental implant to settle for, its vital that you also consult with a medical expert in this field.
There are two major types of dental implants. These are:
Endosteal
Endosteal implants are those that are placed on the jawbone. These implants are usually made from titanium and are shaped like small screws. The screw-shaped endosteal implants are referred to as cylinder or screw-type. There is also another type of dental implant known as blade. The cylinder is the more popular of the two types of endosteal implants. The endosteal implants are the most common dental implants.
Components of an endosteal implant
There are several parts to an endosteal dental implant. The cylinder type of implant consists of a small cylinder made of titanium (ceramic or polymeric can also be used), a screw, and an abutment. On the other hand, the blade type of implant is quite different as it mostly has more than one abutment. For both the cylinder and blade types, the tooth replacement is normally placed on the abutment part of the implant.
Placement of an endosteal implant
First, let’s have a look at what is done before the placement of this dental implant. The first step will be the determination by a dental professional after your tooth is removed that you are viable for a dental implant. After consultations and you signing the consent to go ahead with the surgery, the dental surgeon might recommend you take some pre-operative antibiotics.
Once the surgical procedure is completed, you will have to take post-operative antibiotics. You will take around four to six weeks to heal as your bone will need time to grow around the implant and accept it. This process by which the implant bonds with the bone is known as osteointegration. This gives the implant long term strength. Once the osteointegration is done, you will have to go back to the dental surgeon so that they can place the abutment onto the dental implant. The bridge or dental crown is then fabricated as a replacement for the missing tooth.
Subperiosteal
Subperiosteal implants are typically placed under the gum but above, or on the jawbone. These implants are usually used on patients who do not want to undergo a bone augmentation procedure for endosteal implants. Additionally, this type of implant is common for patients with not enough healthy natural jawbone.
Today, subperiosteal implants are rarely used thanks to the improvements in bone grafting and implant design. Additionally, these implants have a failure rate of approximately 30 to 50 percent. This high failure rate is also another reason for their unpopularity. The main advantage of this implant is that it sits on top of the jawbone and therefore it’s not influenced by the amount of jaw available.
There also alternative dental implants that may be suggested by an implant dentist depending on your specific needs and the health of your jawbone. These alternative dental implants include immediate load dental implant, mini-dental implants, and all-on-4. Remember to stick to the advice of your implant surgeon for the best possible results.